From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Section, AL

What are most growers using to put under the pumpkin?

6/22/2007 3:38:28 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

At the very least use some sand. Builders sand can be shaped & holds the shape pretty well. Play & beach sand is so round that it doesn't hold it's shape.

You'll get a lot of opinions but here's what's worked for us.

>We use builders sand first to make a shallow bowl.
>Onto this goes a thinner layer of play sand.
>Next is a lyer of Pulp Mill Fabric.
>Then a thin layer of play sand which acts like ball bearings.

The idea is to have something to grab so that one or two people can easily move the fruit to relieve vine stress. Pulp Mill Fabric serves this need & is rodent proof.

Another benefit is the prevention of fruit rot diseases that can splash up from the soil.

If you can't get pulp mill fabric then you'll want to add something like copper window screen to keep rodents from tunnling under & into the pumpkin.

6/22/2007 9:27:37 AM

President - GPC

Sand worked well for us last year too.

6/22/2007 9:50:44 AM

Georgia

I just use cheap plywood and put some sand on top of it just playground sand and havent had a problem with mice or rotting in anyway.

6/22/2007 10:16:38 AM

Pataskala,OH

what happens if you can't put sand because of clay soil sand+ clay = cement.

6/22/2007 10:31:18 AM

Santa Rosa, CA

The pulp mill fabric can be expensive. In the past, we have used the bags that grain comes in from a local feed store. The bags are free. Then we add sand to help position the pumpkin at a 90 degree angle from the main vine. The play sand can be a little course, so I like the finer sand. Good luck!

6/22/2007 10:39:04 AM

White Plains, NY

Plywood 1/2" and covered with plastic. I also give a slight pitch to allow the water to run off. The plastic 4mm +/- allows the pumpkin to move on a teflon like surface. This keeps the varmits out from underneath, encourages a flat bottom and helps when moving the fruit during and after.

6/22/2007 11:33:55 AM

Section, AL

Where can I buy pulp mill fabric? Obviously, from a pulp mill, but since there is no local pulp mill, can I order it somewhere?

6/22/2007 12:46:00 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I would think a tigh knit screen door mesh would be an exceptable substitute for Pulp mill fabric.

6/22/2007 2:00:01 PM

Carrollton, Ga.

the 1/2" thick pink insulation foam board from home depot has worked good for me. i punch some in it with my pocket knife to help let water drain thru.

Doug
JN.3:16

6/22/2007 4:25:47 PM

Crossett Arkansas

Hey tremor are you using the felt or the wire from the mill?

6/22/2007 4:39:09 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

In the past I used the rigid insulation board lke Doug and just put some holes in it for drainage....worked great.

Now we use pulp mill fabric and it works even better.

6/22/2007 9:08:25 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

scottrigsby740@aol.com

I got some mill fabric from scott, i dont know if he still has any

6/22/2007 9:32:40 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

coop,

Beats me. It's gray plastic with a tighter weave than a window screen & MUCH heavier. The stuff is hard to cut even with industrial scissors.

I got a bunch of it from Shellie Cramer about 4 years ago. It will never go bad so far as I can tell.

Some folks say that woven poly seed bags make an acceptable substitute but I disagree. I've seen mice chew right through seed bags but even a large rat would have trouble getting through this stuff.

6/23/2007 12:18:48 AM

Hampshire, UK

The main thing NOT to do is....

DON'T grow the pumpkin in a depression or it will sit in a wet patch. Make sure that it is sitting in a free draining location. Last year I dug the soil out to put the sand in and made exactly this mistake. Build up the sand on the existing ground level.

6/23/2007 1:31:35 AM

Crossett Arkansas

Tremor

I've got some of that. I work at a papermill. That stuff is strong, grass wont hardly grow through it and water can drain straight through. have'nt even thought of using it under my pumpkin. I'll cut a square off tomorrow and use it under mine.

6/23/2007 2:29:08 AM

Knopp, Germany

you work where coop!!! get ready for a boat load of emails with requests....LOL

6/23/2007 9:10:05 AM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

just found an add in the equipment section on here, email shelly



inquire at pumpkins@reachone.com

6/23/2007 12:31:10 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

How about styrofoam covered with a few inches of sand?

6/23/2007 12:37:08 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Coop might be in competition with Shellie now!

That post is from the same Shellie I got mine from.

6/24/2007 5:11:24 PM

Crossett Arkansas

The mill shut down our salvage yard. I don't know if I can still get that stuff. Use to get it by the trailer load. We use it to set farm equipment on, put it around deer stands and on the floor of pole barns. If any of you all live around a papermill, call there salvage department they will probably give this stuff to you.

6/24/2007 5:24:25 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

I use mill fabric. I really like the suff. Before I got the fabric I used old sheets of corrigated plastic sin board, like the material used for election signs or real estate signs. This works pretty well and is free ( if you can find some old ones). I have also used sand. To answer nicnic's question, the small amout of sand you are adding is neglegable. I like sand also, but it is a cost. You need several bags per pumpkin and it only lasts one year.

6/24/2007 9:48:19 PM

Greensburg Pa

I was able to get pieces of styrofoam from a local constructon site. It is about 3 inches thick. I can jump on it and leave no marks. Would this work at a slight angle for drain with coarse sand on top under the pumpkin?

6/25/2007 2:22:45 PM

West Chazy,N.Y.

Hey Coop! I work in the plattsburgh paper mill, GP.
I have been getting some of the wire from the paper machines. But the company stopped the employees from getting it. To bad because I was getting it for people here on BP and now GP has to PAY to get rid of it. I was taking it for free.
It would be nice to get some more !

Randy

6/25/2007 4:26:14 PM

Crossett Arkansas

Hey Randy ! I work at Crossett Paper ( tissue )E-mail me at michaelcoop@earthlink.net

6/25/2007 4:55:08 PM